Sawtell

NSW 2452 · Coffs Harbour

3,788 (2021) → 3,875 est. (2025) · Stable

Part of the Coffs Harbour local government area (est. 81,408 residents)

Overall score

Based on transport, liveability & education. Safety is scored separately below.

3,788

Population

$1.24M

Median house (2025)

Safety score

Transport score

Sawtell is a stable suburb in Coffs Harbour, NSW 2452, about 428km from Sydney CBD. Its median house price of $1.24M is around the same as the NSW average. The suburb has 1 school, a transport score of 54/100, and is right by the coast. Sawtell has an overall score of 55/100, based on transport, liveability and education, plus a separate residential safety score of 20/100.

428.3 km

To Sydney CBD

810 m

To coast

$640/wk

Median rent (house)

1.0 km

To nearest station

Demographics

3,788

Population

Median age

2.3

Avg household

Age distribution

Housing tenure

Owned
Mortgage
Rented

Commute to work

Car
Public transport
Walk/cycle
Work from home

Coffs Harbour LGA population (est. 2025)81,408

Median household income (weekly)$1,405

vs NSW median-24.1%

Bachelor degree or higher39.3%

Born in Australia83.1%

Dwellings: house / unit / townhouse1,070 / 260 / 194

Top countries of birth: England (3.59%), New Zealand (1.48%), South Africa (0.66%), Scotland (0.45%), Netherlands (0.34%)

Top languages: Japan (0.4%), Spanish (0.32%), Thai (0.32%), French (0.29%), Afrikaans (0.16%)

Source: ABS Census 2021

Property

$1.24M-6.3%

Median house (2025)

$819K

Median unit (2025)

Median price history

Median rent — house / unit$640 / $480 wk

Rental yield (house)2.7%

Days on market (house)30 days

Source: NSW Valuer General · Updated Q4 2025

Residential Safety

Residential

Recorded residential incidents (latest year), with rate per 100,000 residents:

Break & enter dwelling792/100k

Steal from dwelling132/100k

Motor vehicle theft528/100k

Domestic assault475/100k

Robbery0/100k

Residential incidents over time

Sum of the five residential categories above — not all recorded crime.

Area crime context

Total recorded incidents: 257 (all categories, latest year)6,785 per 100,000 residents2-yr5-yr

An independent score — crime data quality varies by state, so safety is shown separately and is not part of the overall score.

Source: BOCSAR · Updated 2025

Schools

Within 10km1 in suburb

Govt (suburb)

Catholic (suburb)

Indep. (suburb)

Average ICSEA of schools within 10km 965 (below the national average of 1000).

In suburb

Sawtell Public SchoolPrimary · GovernmentICSEA 1009

Nearby (within 10km)

William Bayldon Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 1.5kmICSEA 829
Mary Help of Christians Primary School SawtellPrimary · Catholic · 1.6kmICSEA 1040
Toormina Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 2kmICSEA 923
Toormina High SchoolSecondary · Government · 2.2kmICSEA 944
Coffs Harbour Bible Church SchoolCombined · Independent · 3kmICSEA 1014
Coffs Harbour Learning CentreSecondary · Government · 3.1kmICSEA 818
Coffs Harbour Christian Community SchoolCombined · Independent · 3.8kmICSEA 1031
Boambee Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 4.2kmICSEA 1003
Coffs Harbour Senior CollegeSecondary · Government · 4.3kmICSEA 1033
St John Paul CollegeSecondary · Catholic · 5kmICSEA 1046
Bonville Public SchoolPrimary · Government · 6.2kmICSEA 1000
Bishop Druitt CollegeCombined · Independent · 6.7kmICSEA 1102

Source: ACARA 2023

Transport

CBD commute (est.)Data not available

Nearest train stationSawtell (1.0 km)

Source: TfNSW GTFS

Liveability

27.0°C

Summer max

19.0°C

Winter max

1,700mm

Rainfall/yr

6.8h

Sun/day

Amenities within 2–3km

Counted within a short distance of the suburb centre (so nearby facilities count), with the in-boundary count shown beneath.

30 in suburbSupermarkets

98 in suburbCafes/Rest.

86 in suburbParks

63 in suburbPlaygrounds

2121 in suburbPools

20 in suburbGyms

0Dog parks

20 in suburbGPs

10 in suburbPharmacies

10 in suburbChildcare

10 in suburbLibraries

3622 in suburbSports fields

2Vets

Nearest beachSawtell Main Beach (780 m)

Nearest hospitalCoffs Harbour Health Campus (5.7 km)

Nearest vet1.8 km

Nearest airportCoffs Harbour (5.6 km)

Source: Bureau of Meteorology · OpenStreetMap

Population & Growth

Stable

Annual growth rate0.57%

Projected population 20413,984

Projected households 20411,700

Source: ABS ERP & NSW DPHI

Nearby suburbs in Coffs Harbour

Toormina$800K70transport Boambee East$826K46transport Boambee$1.32M35transport BundagenData not available0transport North Boambee Valley$1.02M0transport Coffs Harbour$867K71transport

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Sawtell

Frequently asked questions about Sawtell

Is Sawtell safe?

Sawtell has a residential safety score of 20/100, based on residential crime (break-ins, theft from dwellings, vehicle theft, domestic assault and robbery) per resident relative to the NSW median. Its total recorded incident rate is 6,785 per 100,000 across all categories.

What are property prices in Sawtell?

In Sawtell, the median house price is $1.24M and the median unit price is $819K. Median weekly house rent is $640.

How far is Sawtell from Sydney CBD?

Sawtell is about 428.3 km from Sydney CBD.

What schools are in Sawtell?

Sawtell has 1 school, with an average ICSEA of 1009 (the national average is 1000). Schools are listed factually, not ranked.

What is public transport like in Sawtell?

Sawtell has a transport score of 54/100.